Final Fantasy VIII 2
by Addraecyn
Summary: :3 Chapters Uploaded: When Squall, Irvine, & Selphie; Quistis & Zell; and Rinoa each bear witness to the terrifying power of the legendary dragon, Bahamut, they must quickly reunite to defeat a new enemy.
1. Chapter 1

~ Final Fantasy VIII-2 ~  
  
~ Chapter One ~  
  
"Are we close enough yet?" Squall asked, trying to keep his body flat against the mud-sodden ground he was lying in.  
Beside him, forcing a gap in the foliage they were hiding behind with his hands, was Irvine Kinneas, who held a pair of binoculars up to his eyes.  
  
"No," Irvine answered, shaking his head in dismay. "We're in range, but I can't get a clean shot, too many damn blue-cloths running all over the place."  
  
"How much further in do you need?" Squall enquired, as he took the binoculars for himself.  
  
"I'd say… another mile at least," Irvine finally answered.  
  
Peering through the binoculars, Squall was forced to agree. From their position, high up in the eastern Wilburn Hills, they were still too far away to be able to clearly make out their target. Even worse, the target itself didn't seem to be visible.  
  
"We might have to get in closer than that," Squall grimaced.   
  
Irvine raised an eyebrow in confusion.   
  
"It looks like the good General seems to have finally turned in for the night."  
  
Irvine, realising what his friend and fellow SeeD meant, shook his head a second time, "Oh man, you're kidding, right?"  
  
Squall's serious glare told a different story.  
  
"Sorry, I forget that you don't kid," Irvine apologised. "So, you're saying that things might end up-"  
  
"Close-quarters?" Squall finished. "There's a high chance."  
  
"This is hardly some under-staffed Missile Base we're talking about here Squall," Irvine explained as he surveyed the situation with the binoculars again. "That's an entire division of the Galbadian Army."  
  
"I know," Squall concurred. "Why, you're not afraid are you?"  
  
"Hey! I'm not afraid of anything," Irvine rebutted. "I'd be a lot happier if Selphie were here though."  
  
"I know how you feel," Squall agreed, his thoughts drifting briefly to Rinoa. "But she's much safer on the Ragnarok. Remember - it'll be her who's gonna save our asses, no matter how this turns out."  
  
Irvine could only sigh in resignation.  
  
Knowing that there was nothing else to be said, Squall gave the command: "Let's go."  
  
* * * * *  
  
It had now been three months since a team of SeeDs best, led by Squall Leonheart had defeated the sorceress from the future, Ultimecia, bringing peace to the world once again.  
  
The peace hadn't lasted long.  
  
It was in Galbadia where the troubles were: a country whose use by Ultimecia to try and take over the present-day world had left it in turmoil.  
  
Using Edea Kramer, a kind and gentle sorceress turned into a force for evil by Ultimecia, she killed Galbadia's dictatorial president, Vinzer Deling and took over the country for herself.   
  
By her side stood her 'knight', Seifer Almasy, a renegade SeeD, and together they brought war to the world, launching attacks upon Trabia and Balamb Garden with missiles and Galbadia Garden itself.   
  
But when the SeeDs of Balamb Garden eventually defeated Galbadia Garden, Edea was freed from Ultimecia's control, leaving only Seifer to lead Galbadia's military.   
  
Under his brief rule, Galbadia unearthed the legendary Lunatic Pandora, long buried under the sea, and used it to bring the Lunar Cry upon Esthar, covering its desolate lands in monsters innumerable.   
  
Yet soon after, Seifer too broke free from Ultimecia's grip, and Galbadia found itself without a leader, or a functioning government.  
  
So, as Central Galbadia tried desperately to keep the order, the countries she had long occupied took opportunity to finally take back what was once theirs.  
  
The dukedom of Dollet, once greater in peace than Galbadia had ever been in war, swiftly drove out the garrison that controlled its disused communications tower, and reclaimed the plains that lay within the Hasberry Mountains leading up to the Malgo Sea.  
  
Timber, a country long under occupation, and just as long fighting to regain its freedom, found they had a second wind with Galbadia's sudden power-vacuum. Under the guidance of Rinoa Heartilly, Timber's many freedom-fighting factions united, and together systematically defeated the Galbadian forces.  
  
The same story was being repeated all over the continent. Almost every day, another oppressed nation rose up to claim a sovereignty it had almost forgotten it possessed.   
Suddenly finding itself under attack on all fronts, Galbadia's Army had gone into disarray, mostly falling back to the security of Central Galbadia.  
  
But not every nation could count itself so lucky, and not every Galbadian had lost their wits.   
  
At the same time as Dollet, Timber, and many others had declared their independence, what once had been the Osarchan Union - a loose alliance of island states in the Rem Archipelago - took their chance to reclaim their freedom.   
  
To their misfortune however, the military forces in Eastern Galbadia were under the command of one General Varagon, a master tactician of such renown that his battle strategies were required reading at Balamb Garden.   
  
While Galbadia's forces had floundered in its other territories, Varagon had kept his at their most lethal, and Osarcha, although neither outnumbered nor outgunned, found itself at the mercy of a man whose experience was far greater than all of its generals put together.  
  
And this was why Squall and Irvine were in the field. Osarcha had made a formal request to SeeD. Its request was a simple one: to eliminate General Varagon; an option of much less cost to the Union than having all of Balamb Garden's forces attack the Galbadian forces that were threatening them now.  
  
Cid Kramer, once again Headmaster of Balamb Garden, chose three of his most trusted SeeDs for the mission. Selphie Tilmitt would pilot the Ragnarok, flying the team in and out of the area; Irvine Kinneas would be the sharpshooter, the man who would fire the fatal shot; but if things didn't go according to plan, it was up to Squall Leonheart and his gunblade to ensure that Varagon didn't leave Osarcha alive.  
  
* * * * *  
  
As stealthily as they could manage, Squall and Irvine made their way across the rain-soaked plains of Osarch Island, the largest of those in the Union, and closest to the Galbadian mainland. Coming to a halt underneath the cover of a few trees, the two SeeDs now stood less than a mile from the Galbadian encampment.   
  
Through the binoculars, Squall could make out soldiers of every description among the thousands stationed here; the blue-uniformed light infantry, Irvine's 'blue-cloths'; the burgundy of the more heavily-armoured command officers; and the emerald-green of the special forces, a mixture those capable of using advanced para-magic, and the aerial troops whose jetpacks had been grounded due to the heavy downpour. A blessing in disguise for Squall and Irvine, as it greatly reduced their chances of detection.  
  
"Still no sign of him," Squall reported, passing the binoculars to Irvine.  
  
"I don't seem him either," the sharpshooter agreed.  
  
"Then we've got no other choice," Squall concluded. "Are you ready?"  
  
"Ready as I'll ever be," Irvine responded, his previous nerves apparently buried, as he snapped shut the loaded barrels of his shotgun.  
  
"Then let's go…" Squall trailed off, raising his head up into the night sky.  
  
"What is it?" Irvine asked, bewildered.  
  
"Do you hear that?"   
  
Concentrating through the wind and the rain, Irvine slowly began to nod in agreement. It was only slight at first but was steadily gaining in volume, the rhythmic, powerful beating of wings, in amongst the cacophony of the weather.  
  
"What d'you think it could be?" Irvine wondered.  
  
"I have no idea," was Squall's answer. "But whatever it is, it's big."   
Squall was soon proved right. He had barely finished his sentence when the winged creature flew above them. Its enormous wingspan easily blocking out the overcast sky above.  
  
"A dragon!" Irvine exclaimed in awe.   
And he was right; the broad, clawed wings; the slight gleam of polished scales, the long arching neck, almost as long as its tail; and the silhouette of a demonic head. They were all the trademarks of a dragon.  
  
"That's no ordinary dragon," Squall added.   
And he was right as well. The sheer size of the creature dwarfed that of any dragon Squall had encountered before; the scales gleamed with a black sheen, instead of the traditional ruby-red; and the head, with its three slender horns, was unlike anything he had seen before.  
  
And in one flap of its enormous wings, it had passed them by, and even though the night was close to pitch, with the veil of clouds and curtain of rain, it felt as if a shadow had just lifted from around them.  
  
"I wonder where it's going?" Irvine speculated.  
  
Gazing towards the Galbadian encampment, Squall's heart suddenly filled with dread, "I have an idea of where."  
  
  
Irvine slowly turned to face Squall, but he didn't need to say anything, his wide-eyed gaze of realisation and horror said it all.  
  
Observing with the binoculars again, Squall could see that the Galbadians had noticed the dragon as well. Aiming their rifles into the air, they fired as best they could, but either they were missing, or the Galbadians bullets were having no effect on the mail of armour that was the dragon's scales.  
  
And there he was! General Varagon, emerging from one of the nearer tents to the two SeeDs position. Irvine could easily make the shot now, but Squall knew that it no longer mattered - the General was dead already.  
The dragon began to rise higher into the air, circling briefly as if it were trying to avoid the hail of bullet-fire of below, and then without warning it struck.  
  
It dived sharply, spinning wildly towards the ground. Opening its mighty jaws, it pulled up meters from the surface, breathing out a massive stream of fire, engulfing the encampment in flame as it made its first pass.   
Squall had no idea how many must have died in that first burst, but he was certain of one casualty: he could no longer see Varagon and knew he wouldn't again.  
  
For the next few minutes, Squall and Irvine could only stare in horror as the dragon made continuous passes over the Galbadian camp, its fury and its fires seemingly unquenchable.   
  
By the time the attack came to an end, the entire camp, over a square mile Squall guessed, was burning. It was so hot that Squall and Irvine could feel waves of heat washing against them, and tried not to cough from thick the smoke that drifted past.  
  
Apparently satisfied with its handiwork, the dragon span back into the air, let out a terrible cry, and in the blink of an eye disappeared in a trail of sapphire-blue light.  
  
A long silence passed, before Irvine asked: "So, now what do we do?"  
  
"We head back to the Ragnarok," Squall eventually decided after pausing for thought. "There's nothing more we can do here, it looks like our job's been done for us."  
  
"And then?"  
  
"We fly back to the Garden as fast as Selphie can pilot that spaceship. I've got a bad feeling that this isn't the last we'll be seeing of that dragon." 


	2. Chapter 2

~ Chapter Two ~  
  
Cid Kramer, Headmaster of Balamb Garden, sipped carefully at the steaming cup of earl-grey tea he held in his right hand, before using the left to brush unconsciously at the faded red cardigan that had become something of a trademark for him over the last ten years.   
  
He stood, quietly observing the scenery from his office window. It was a view he knew well, and had always warmed his heart.   
  
For the last three months, the Garden had been moored at Fisherman's Horizon, undergoing repairs after its momentous battle with Galbadia Garden.   
  
Initially, Cid had enjoyed the change of scenery: to look out over the azure-blue of the ocean; at the windmills seemingly dotted in every derelict location; and the solar dish that dominated FH's landscape; all of this he had the pleasure of taking in as he drank his morning cup of tea.   
  
But it never felt like home, and after a while he grew tired of the never-ending waves that broke against the lines of sea-barriers, and the many flocks of seagulls that rode the air currents about the Garden.   
  
So in the end, he was probably the happiest of all the Garden's residents when he received the news that repairs were finally complete. The students made their farewells to the gentle folk of FH and began the return journey to Garden's original home of Balamb.  
  
Although the Garden was now anchored above its original base, enabling students to easily reach the surface and travel to the nearby town of Balamb, it had been quickly decided not to convert the Garden back into a stationary structure.   
  
Not just because nobody had a clue how to reverse the procedure that had made the Garden mobile and saved it from a hail of Galbadian missiles, but its new-found mobility gave the Garden a significant strategic advantage over any enemies.  
  
Now Cid could once again look over the endless Alcauld Plains again that stretched evergreen for miles until they met the snow-capped, arching spine of volcanic rock that were the Rinaul Mountains, where two of Balamb Garden's most legendary students had once duelled.  
  
But the view wasn't the only thing now that brought warmth into his heart. The return to him of his dear wife Edea, no longer possessed by the malevolent will of the Sorceress Ultimecia made him realise that since she had disappeared from his life, his life had been empty.   
  
It had been that weakness that had let those loyal to the greed-filled Garden Master NORG almost take control of the Garden from under his very nose. But now, with Edea by his side once more, an incident like that would never occur again. As long as he had Edea, Cid would never be weak again.  
  
A hand knocked lightly upon the doors to his office, disturbing Cid from his thoughts.  
  
"Ah, Quistis, please come in," smiling as he recognised the young woman who stood in the doorway.  
  
"Good morning, headmaster," the SeeD greeted, walking up to Cid's desk. "I was told that you needed to see me urgently."  
  
"Yes, I did," Cid confirmed. "I requested Zell's presence as well, but he seems to be running a little late."  
  
At just that moment, a young, spiky-haired man burst through the office doors, skidding to a halt beside Quistis, in front of Cid's desk. Struggling for air, he breathed staggeringly:   
"Sorry… I was late… headmaster… slept in."  
  
"Again?" Cid questioned, an eyebrow rising from his bespectacled eyes.  
  
"Won't happen… again… promise," Zell apologised in-between gulps of air.  
  
"I'll hold you to that," Cid responded with a wry grin. "At least you're here now. Which is a good thing indeed."  
  
"Why," Quistis enquired. "What's happened?"  
  
"Earlier this morning, I was handed this report from Xu," Cid began, waving a single sheet of paper in front of the two SeeDs. "It's a rather brief radio transmission we intercepted from the Osarchan military channel."  
  
"Aren't Squall, Irvine and Selphie doin' a job for them?" Zell asked.  
  
"Indeed they were," Cid confirmed.  
  
"'Were'?" Quistis repeated. "Something hasn't… 'happened' to them?"  
  
"I honestly don't know; the message doesn't make things very clear."  
  
"What does it say?" Quistis requested.  
  
"It's an eyewitness account by an Osarchan spy of an incident that took place last night on Osarch Island," Cid described. "It tells of a large creature in the night sky that attacked and destroyed the Galbadian forces that were camped there. Apparently the creature breathed flame, burning the entire camp to the ground and leaving no one alive."  
  
"Yeah, but what does this have to do with Squall, Irvine and Selphie though?" Zell asked impatiently.  
  
"Their mission," Cid explained, "was to assassinate General Varagon - you may remember his name from some of your studies?"  
  
Quistis and Zell both nodded in agreement.  
  
"Well," Cid continued, "Varagon was in command of the Galbadian forces on Osarch, and was at the encampment that night."  
  
"So you think that this 'creature' is something to do with Squall, Irvine and Selphie?" Zell asked doubtfully.  
  
"It's one of the possibilities I'm considering," Cid admitted. "And if this destruction was the responsibility of Squall and his team, something must have gone seriously wrong. Their orders were to kill Varagon alone, and as stealthily as possible."  
  
"I suppose initially it could sound like an attack by a Guardian Force," Quistis considered. "But the only fire-elemental GF available to any of the team is Ifrit, who's under Irvine's possession. But Ifrit can neither fly, nor breathe flame."  
  
Everyone nodded in agreement.  
  
"I don't know about you guys, but it sounded more like a dragon to me," Zell suggested. "But I've read everything there is to know about dragons, and their isn't a dragon alive that could take out an entire army division. Only in myths and legends."  
  
"Which leaves only one possibility," Cid concluded. "That this was a deliberate action by some unknown party. I'll have Xu begin an investigation immediately."  
  
"But what about Squall and the others, though? Are they okay?"   
  
Quistis' and Zell's faces were both ones of concern.  
  
"We've had no word from the Ragnarok, since Selphie landed her in the hills of Osarch Island last night. The best we can hope is that they are on their way home and that they're running under radio silence."  
  
Cid noticed that the news had done nothing to alleviate the tension on the two SeeDs faces.  
  
"I'm sorry, but I thought you should know."  
  
"Thank you, headmaster," Quistis replied dejectedly.  
  
Zell though, couldn't contain his anger, slamming his gloved fist into the polished mahogany wood of the table, scattering the mountain of papers strewn across its surface.  
  
"Sorry," he apologised sombrely.  
  
Cid nodded in acceptance, before finishing: "You're dismissed."  
  
* * * * *  
  
In the central lift of Balamb Garden, Zell's anger boiled-over again.   
  
"Dammit!" he growled, his fists clenched tightly. "We should've been out there with them!"  
  
"It wasn't our decision to make," Quistis replied, trying to keep her hot-tempered friend calm.  
  
"The hell it wasn't!" Zell rebutted. "All Squall had to do was ask Cid, and he would have let us."  
  
"I know, Zell. But Squall knew this would be a dangerous mission. He only chose the people that he absolutely needed. He didn't take us because he wanted us to be safe. Because we're his friends."  
  
"I… I guess," Zell conceded, his neck drooping in resignation. "I just hope that they're all okay."  
  
"I'm sure they are," Quistis agreed. "But I doubt that any mission is a hundred-percent safe with Irvine around."  
  
Zell immediately cheered up, letting out a slight snigger, a trigger that eventually had both him and Quistis in hysterics.  
  
"Seriously though," Quistis added, trying not to laugh any more. "They'll be fine, they're the best that Garden has to offer, after all"  
  
"Hey!" Zell exclaimed.  
  
"Apart from us, of course," Quistis finished, with a smile.  
  
They were silent for a while, watching the students below walk by, as the lift passed by the second floor. The lift was halfway to the ground floor, when a massive jolt brought it shuddering to a stop.  
  
"What the hell was that?!" Zell shouted in surprise.  
  
"I'm not sure," Quistis responded, gripping the handrails tightly. "But I don't think we're the only ones to be affected."  
  
Looking out of the observation windows, Zell could see what Quistis meant. Dozens of students lay on the ground below, knocked down by the sudden tremor, while others held on to the sidewalls for balance.  
  
Another jolt hit, shaking the lift even more violently violently, but ironically putting it back into motion. The emergency light inside the lift blinked on, and began to flash red, and the two SeeDs could here the alarms outside come to life.  
  
"Sounds like an enemy alert," Quistis surmised.  
  
"We're under attack?" Zell responded incredulously. "From who?"  
  
"I've no idea, but we'll soon find out."  
  
The lift finally reached the ground with a thud, as a third tremor reverberated through the cabin. The lift doors now apparently unresponsive, Zell was forced to pry them open with his hands, forcing them fully open.  
  
Wasting no time, Quistis bolted out past Zell, and found the nearest student to them.  
  
"3rd year student Johnson!" she shouted over to a young man running in from the front gate. "Care to tell me what's going on?"  
  
The student didn't even care to stop, merely pointed back the way he'd came as he shouted:   
"G-go look for yourself!" Before disappearing in the direction of the dorms.  
  
"Geez, this must be really bad," Zell considered, as he ran up to Quistis.  
  
"Guess we'd better go see for ourselves," Quistis suggested. "Come on!"  
  
Quistis and Zell were forced to run through a tidal wave of students trying to squeeze in through the cramped reception area. Zell forced his way through the crowd, while Quistis kept close behind, enlisting the help of every graduate SeeD she could find along the way.  
  
Passing through the front gate into the open-air and sunlight, Quistis and Zell, with a dozen other SeeDs in tow, were awe-struck by what they saw.  
  
Flying high in the air above Balamb Garden was an enormous black dragon, spitting balls of flame that seemed to broil with energy, towards the walls of the Garden.  
  
"It's the same dragon from Cid's report, isn't it?" Quistis shouted over the noise of the explosions that rocked the Garden, their shockwaves almost bringing Quistis to the ground.   
  
Not getting a response, Quistis looked over at Zell, and was met with a face white with terror.  
"What is it?" she asked.  
  
"Y-y'know how I said that the only creature that could take out all those Galbadians only existed in legends?" Zell began, not taking his eyes off of the terrible beast.  
  
"What are you getting at?" Quistis asked hesitantly.  
  
"That thing up there," Zell continued, pointing into the air. "That's Bahamut, King of the Dragons!"  
  
"Bahamut?" Quistis questioned sceptically, looking up with Zell. "But that's just a-"  
  
"Legend," Zell finished for her. "I know!"  
  
Staring at the dragon, Quistis slowly began to agree with Zell.   
The wingspan, the three-horned head, the jet-black scales, and the ferocity of his attacks, they all matched up with drawings and stories she'd seen and been told as a child. Stories that Matron would tell her and the fellow orphans before bed, which would give her nightmares as she slept.  
  
This was no bedtime story though, but it was a real nightmare, and she and Zell were in the middle of it.  
  
Bahamut, now identified, broke off his fireball attack, which seemed to have been concentrated upon one area of the Garden.   
Using the small fore-claws on his wings he grabbed hold of the weakened Garden walls, folded his wings, and began tearing into the smooth metal walls with the claws on his feet.  
  
"He's trying to get into the Garden!" Quistis realised. "We've got to stop him!"  
  
"But how?" Zell asked in desperation.  
  
Looking back at the assembled SeeDs, an idea came to Quistis:   
"I know how."  
  
Running over to the small group, she began to give orders.   
"Okay SeeDs, we're going to stop that dragon getting into the Garden."   
  
Unsurprisingly, Quistis' order was met with stunned looks on all the SeeDs faces.   
  
"You all know ice-elemental magic, correct?"   
  
The SeeDs nodded in agreement.   
  
"Good. I want you to line-up in a two-row formation, and prepare to use Blizzard on that dragon on my command."  
  
The SeeDs quickly lined up, half crouching on the ground, the other half standing behind them, all with their arms outstretched in the direction of Bahamut, ready to unleash their para-magic.  
  
"I really wish Rinoa was here just now," Zell muttered to Quistis, standing beside their fellow SeeDs, their arms outstretched as well. "We'd could really use her and Shiva just now."  
  
"I know," Quistis agreed. "But this'll have to do."  
  
Seeing that everyone was ready, Quistis gave the order:   
"Okay people - now!"  
  
A barrage of ice shards materialised in the air, flying from the hands of the SeeDs, and streaking through the air, until they battered against the scaled hide of Bahamut.   
The legendary dragon's claws immediately ceased from scraping into the Garden walls, his lithe neck slowly craning round, the eyes lighting up in fury as his demonic head was brought to bare upon Quistis, Zell, and the company of SeeDs.  
  
"Uh, I think we got its attention," Zell suggested nervously.  
  
"I think you're right," Quistis agreed, the same falter in her voice, and as Bahamut's wings unfurled she shouted at the SeeDs, "Everybody, run!"  
  
The Seeds scrambled back towards the safety of the Garden's interior.   
But Bahamut was closing in on them, screaming in their direction, flames dripping from his mouth like saliva.  
  
The last one to run though the front gate, Quistis practically screamed at Pierre, who manned the reception area, "Bring down the shutters!"   
  
Pierre obeyed without question, and the metal barricade came rolling down, sealing the front gate. Quistis, though, knew that wasn't enough, and without thinking, called out "Protect!" casting the barrier-magic on the shutters.   
Zell, and the others took her queue, and within a few seconds another dozen Protect-spells were adding extra protection to the shutters.  
  
And then Bahamut attacked, careering straight into the shutters. The Protect-spell came to life, a bubble of blue energy surrounding the shutters, deflecting Bahamut's massive body.  
  
"They're holding," Quistis let out, breathing a sigh of relief.  
  
"Yeah, but for how long?" Zell asked.  
  
That was a good question.   
Twelve overlapping Protects could last a long time against a regular monster, but Bahamut was no regular monster, and it became clear to Quistis that their luck would soon run out, the shutters already beginning to buckle as Bahamut attacked again, driving his massive shoulders straight into the magic barrier.  
  
"This is it," Quistis shuddered, watching Bahamut climb into the sky in preparation for one last dive.  
  
"Don't be afraid," Zell reassured, cupping Quistis' hand in his.  
  
Quistis closed her eyes, waiting for the end to come.   
But it didn't.  
She felt Zell release his grip, which had been unexpected but comforting. Opening her eyes, she saw him run forward, trying to get a clearer view through the gaps in shutter gratings.  
  
"What happened?" she asked, running up to join Zell.  
  
"He broke off his attack," Zell explained. "He was in the middle of his dive, when he suddenly climbed back up. I can't see him at all, now."  
  
Before Quistis had a chance to look for herself, the Garden's intercom suddenly buzzed into life above the din of the alarm.  
  
"Could Quistis and Zell please come to the command deck immediately. Repeat, could…" It was Cid's voice.  
  
Without speaking, the two SeeDs immediately headed for the third floor.  
  
* * * * *  
  
Emerging onto the command deck, the small lift locking quietly into place, Quistis immediately asked:   
"What is it?"  
  
"Look out there," Xu, Quistis' friend and superior suggested, who was operating the left side of the command console that controlled the Garden.  
  
Quistis and Zell ran over to the guardrails along the edge of the deck, the highest level of the Garden.   
  
They could see Bahamut easily now, wheeling and spinning in the air, letting off fireballs as quickly as he could breathe them.   
But he was no longer firing at the Garden, there was a new target for him now, a red dragon that was flying straight towards it, spitting its own green venom at it.   
  
But Quistis and Zell soon realised that it was no dragon.  
  
"The Ragnarok!" they exclaimed in unison.  
  
"They got here not a moment too soon," Cid pointed-out, lifting his head briefly from the central console he stood at.  
  
"Can we talk to them?" Quistis asked anxiously.  
  
"I don't know," Nida, in charge of the right-hand console, replied. "I'll try and open a channel." Nida concentrated at his panel for several seconds, before finally nodding the all clear.  
  
Running up to the console, Quistis jammed her finger down on the transmit button, calling out:   
"You're alive!"  
  
"Damn right we are!" Selphie's voice confirmed. "Thought y'could use a hand."  
  
"It's great to hear you!" Zell greeted  
  
"Hey, Zell!" Selphie replied cheerfully. "We'll take care of this jerk first, and we'll meet you down at the landing pad, okay?"  
  
"Sure thing," Quistis agreed. "Over and out."  
  
Now, all anyone could do was watch on in silence, as Bahamut and the Ragnarok duelled.  
  
For a time it seemed that Bahamut would have the upper hand: Ragnarok was fast, but she couldn't manoeuvre as swiftly as Bahamut, despite Selphie's flawless piloting skills.   
  
Yet eventually, Ragnarok began to win, a few lucky shots courtesy of Squall and Irvine's gunning was beginning to slow the dragon down, leaving him open to more attacks.   
  
Three huge volleys from Ragnarok's main cannon was the last straw, sending Bahamut careering through the air.   
  
It almost looked as if he would plummet to the ground, but he regained consciousness at the last moment, hovering meters from the hard concrete of the recreation grounds.   
  
Knowing he was defeated, Bahamut snarled angrily at the Ragnarok, before spinning up into the air and disappearing in a stream of light.  
  
The battle won, the Ragnarok slowed to a stop, hovering over an area just outside the front gate, the landing pad that was the newest addition to the Garden, before landing.  
  
"I believe you two will want to see your friends now?" Cid asked rhetorically. "Don't worry, go on ahead, I'll be right behind you."   
  
Cid hadn't even finished his sentence, as Quistis and Zell disappeared from view as the lift descended.  
  
* * * * *  
  
Quistis and Zell bounded up to Squall, Irvine and Selphie, who had only just walked down entrance ramp to the Ragnarok, greeting them warmly.  
  
"Hey guys! It's great to see you!" Zell welcomed joyously.  
  
"When we heard about what had happened on Osarch Island, we feared the worse," Quistis explained.  
  
"It looks like you were in a lot more danger than us, though," Squall began. "That dragon, he only attacked the Galbadians, I don't think he even knew of our presence. Here though - it looked like he was out to destroy Garden from the looks of it.  
  
Squall's head angled up, examining with dismay the scars that now covered the outer walls of the Garden.  
  
"You got here in the nick of time," Quistis explained. "Bahamut was only seconds from breaking through into the interior."  
  
"'Bahamut'?" Squall repeated in surprise.  
  
"Yeah," Zell confirmed. "I identified it."  
  
"Are y'sure?" Selphie asked. "Isn't Bahamut meant be a, y'know, some sort of fairy tale?"  
  
"Hey! Bahamut was a legend, not a fairytale," Zell defended. "And he was a pretty unique kind of dragon. It was him."  
  
"So, what do we do now then?" Irvine wondered. "Balamb Garden's just been attacked by a fairytale-"  
  
"Legend," Zell corrected.  
  
"Fairytale, legend - whatever," Irvine ignored. "How are we meant to find it?"  
  
"How do we do indeed?" Cid's voice asked.  
  
"Headmaster!" Squall exclaimed, not noticing his arrival, and quickly saluting.  
  
"At ease, Squall."  
  
"What are your orders?" Squall enquired.  
  
"Well, I seem to know about as much as you do," Cid admitted. "What do you think we should do?"  
  
Squall was quiet for several seconds, obviously deep in thought, a trait he was infamous for.  
  
"Squall, don't get buried in your thoughts," Quistis advised. "Tell us what you're thinking."  
  
"Sorry," Squall apologised. "It's just - this may be stupid - but…"  
  
"Squall?!" everyone shouted.  
  
"Sorry, but… I've just got this gut instinct that we should head for Timber."  
  
"Timber?" Irvine questioned. "You think Rinoa has a connection to all of this?"  
  
"Nothing in particular, just that out of our group, she's the only one not to encounter   
'Bahamut', if that's what this dragon really is."  
  
"Seems like as good a place to start as any," Cid concurred. "I'll make sure Xu continues her investigation, hopefully she'll have something when you return."   
  
Looking up to the group of friends, he concluded:   
"SeeD, I think you know your orders, good luck."  
  
Less than a minute later, Cid had just reached the battered entrance gates as the spaceship Ragnarok rose back into the air.   
Her engines roaring into life, she flew off into the horizon, propelling her and her crew onwards towards the city of Timber. 


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter Three  
  
Rinoa Heartilly wasn't a leader.  
  
Okay, that wasn't entirely true. She'd once been the leader of the Timber Owls, one of the country's many freedom-fighting groups.  
  
But since she'd returned to Timber three months ago, after helping defeat the Sorceress Ultimecia, and helping the fractious freedom-fighters come together to finally expel the occupying Galbadians, Rinoa had found herself entrenched in more and more politics; and she hated politics.  
  
People had even suggested that she run for president in the upcoming elections, Timber's first in over two decades.   
But Rinoa had quickly brought any speculation to a halt - assuring everyone that she would definitely NOT be running for President.  
  
That still hadn't stopped the provisional council that was overseeing Timber's transition back to full autonomy, from enlisting her help as an advisor.   
She wasn't exactly sure what she was meant to be advising about, but three months had passed since she'd returned to her adopted home, she considered, so she must be doing something right.  
  
She'd never forgotten about Squall though.   
  
Despite her workload, not a heartbeat went by when he wasn't in her thoughts. They had only been together a handful of times since the reception at Balamb Garden to celebrate Ultimecia's defeat, and Rinoa wouldn't deny that it had been hard, being so far apart for so long.   
  
But she knew it was for the best.   
Despite what she thought, Rinoa knew deep down that Timber needed her just now. And Squall was hardly sitting idle either.   
In almost every email she got from him, he told of his last mission, usually another country he was helping break free of the Galbadian yoke…  
  
"Earth to Rinoa, Earth to Rinoa," a familiar voice drifted into Rinoa's thoughts.  
  
"Huh, what?" was Rinoa's confused response. Focusing her eyes ahead, she saw Zone, fellow Timber Owl and dear friend, standing in front of her with a cheeky grin.   
  
"What are you so happy about?" she asked irritably.  
  
"Thinking about lover-boy again, are we?" Zone enquired sardonically.  
  
"I wish you would stop teasing me," she responded, thumping Zone in the arm.  
  
"Ow," Zone grimaced. "So we are thinking about Squall again."  
  
"So?" Rinoa retorted. "It's not any of your business."  
  
"Hey, I couldn't care less if you thought about 'Mister SeeD' twenty-four hours a day. Which you probably do, anyway."   
A comment from Zone that earned him another punch.   
"But now isn't the time, the councillors have just arrived, and the train from Esthar'll be here soon, we'll know as soon as Watts gets back."  
  
At that moment, a figure came running up from the distance. Slightly rotund, and running as if his life depended on it, Rinoa instantly knew it was the other senior member of the Timber owls, Watts.  
  
"Speak of the devil!" Zone exclaimed as his best friend came to a stop in front of them.  
  
"Zone, Rinoa, sir," he greeted breathlessly.  
  
"What news?" Rinoa asked.  
  
"The train from Esthar has just left FH, sir," Watts explained. "It should reach the mainland in about fifteen minutes."  
  
"Great," Rinoa responded.  
  
"Uh-oh," Zone uttered, looking back. "Looks like you're wanted, Rinoa."  
  
Turning round, Rinoa saw what he meant. A fleet of black limousines had come to a stop fifty yards behind them, near to the train tracks.   
Rinoa hadn't even heard them arrive; she had been so deep in her thoughts.   
  
"Guess I'd better go sweet-talk the councillors again," Rinoa muttered unhappily, before walking off.  
  
* * * * *  
  
Today was a new chapter in the history of Timber, Rinoa thought, half-listening to the councillors' never-ending stream of questions, queries, and worries.  
  
Horizon Bridge was an ambitious structure that spanned the continents of Galbadia and Esthar, linking them physically, and hopefully in peace.   
But that hope had never come to pass, as soon after it became operational Esthar, under the control of the crazed Sorceress Adel, declared war upon the world in the most bloody conflict of a generation.   
The bridge was quickly closed to prevent the Estharan military from using it to invade Galbadia. And seventeen years later, the war long over, the bridge remained derelict.  
  
Not derelict any more though. Since they had reopened their borders after the crisis with Ultimecia led to the dreaded Lunar Cry almost devastating their country, the Estharans had seen that the self-imposed exile to prevent their highly-advanced technology falling into the wrong hands had not in any way helped the outside world.   
  
Laguna Loire, president of Esthar, concerned about the possible criticism of his flawed policies, had immediately put into action plans to reconnect Esthar to the outside world.   
Diplomatic relations had been resumed, Embassies occupied once again, but President Loire's most ambitious plan had been the reopening of Horizon Bridge  
  
Knowing that Rinoa was now a key player, if not a reluctant one, within Timber's fledgling political establishment, Loire had gone straight to her in helping to get Timber's permission and blessing.   
  
He hadn't got their blessing, but their cautious permission had been enough for him. Rinoa didn't see the problem herself: Esthar had agreed to bring the Bridge back into working condition and provide trains, the engineering-minded people of Fisherman's Horizon had jumped at the chance to refurbish the deserted railway station that passed through their city, and all Timber had to do was provide only a few of the trains.   
  
In Rinoa's mind it was a small price to pay. Not only did Timber once again have its independence, but also it would soon have a greater importance to the rest of the world.  
  
* * * * *  
  
"…so, you are sure there is no danger?" Councillor Torkan persisted.  
  
"Councillor, I assure you - there is no danger," Rinoa insisted.  
  
To say that Rinoa didn't like Endo Torkan was an understatement.   
  
Rinoa knew it was unfair to do so, Torkan was a veteran of the Sorceress War, and quite rightly didn't trust the Estharans. But what made Rinoa despise Torkan so much though, was his unrelenting hatred of Esthar. He refused point-blank to put the past behind him, and trust them.   
  
President Loire, in an attempt to bring Torkan and other sceptics around, had gone so far as to invite the provisional council to Esthar's capital, as an olive branch. All of the councillors accepted the invitation, except for Torkan, who would shout until his throat went raw; trying to convince the others that the Estharans would have them shot the second they set foot in Esthar.   
  
When his fellow councillors returned unscathed, Torkan didn't shout so loudly.  
  
He was still the most outspoken opponent of Esthar's plans, though. And Rinoa had been forced to jump through hoops to get Torkan to approve the plan, and still he wasn't fully convinced.  
  
"I just hope that it isn't a trainload of Estharan soldiers that come over that bridge," Torkan warned.  
  
Seeing the exasperated look on Rinoa's face, another councillor, Mevlin, put a hand on her soldier, "Don't let him rile you," she reassured. "I've known him longer than I care to admit - he's probably more hopeful that this all goes to plan than the rest of us put together.  
  
Rinoa chuckled - it was good to know that at least some of the council were human.  
  
"Here they come now," another councillor, Varcilo mentioned, pointing into the distance.  
  
Looking ahead, Rinoa could see Zone and Watts deep in conversation. And just beyond them, past the edge of the Mandy Cliffs, across the Horizon Bridge to its furthest visible point, she could see a train.  
  
As it got ever closer, she could see that it was clearly of Estharan design. The smooth contoured surface, the translucent turquoise of its metal surface, and the way it seemed to glide effortlessly across the rails without the slightest sound.  
  
Within minutes, although it seemed like only a few seconds, the train had reached the mainland and was slowing to a stop in front of the Timber party.  
  
At the nearest cabin, a door slid open from an invisible gap, a flight of stairs extending quietly down, and a familiar face climbing out.  
  
"Laguna!" Rinoa identified, rushing up to hug the President of Esthar. Just behind him, Rinoa saw Kiros, one half of Laguna's chief aides and best friends, and hugged him too.  
  
"It's so good to see you… where's Ward?" she asked, wondering where the other half of Laguna's advisors and companions was.  
  
"Somebody's got to run the country when I'm not there," Laguna explained. "But don't worry, with Horizon Bridge back in operation, I'm sure you'll see him again soon enough."  
  
Stepping past Rinoa, Laguna confronted Councillor Torkan.   
"So, Endo, not the gunboat you were expecting?"  
  
"I concede…" Torkan began, "that perhaps I was slightly blinded by previous experiences-"  
  
"Slightly?!" Rinoa gasped, earning herself a nasty look from Torkan.  
  
"But," Torkan continued, "perhaps this truly is the start of a new, peaceful relationship between Timber and Esthar."  
  
"My sentiments exactly," Councillor Mevlin agreed. "That's am amazing train you have, Mr. President."  
  
"Yeah, a beauty, isn't she? Kiros here supervised the construction himself."   
  
Kiros bowed in recognition.  
  
"Hopefully we'll have a few more ready to roll out in a month-or-so." Laguna elaborated. "Together with yours, we should have- would you excuse me for a second?"   
  
A beeping coming from his pocket suddenly distracted Laguna.  
Removing a mobile communication unit from his pocket, he flipped it open and asked:   
"What is it? What? Directly ahead? Okay."  
  
"Is there a problem?" Rinoa asked, as Laguna flipped the communicator closed.  
  
"It's the train driver," Laguna explained. "He says there's something in the air, heading straight for us."  
  
The assemblage looked up into the sky in unison. Rinoa could immediately see what the train driver was worried about: a black object, moving at an incredible speed, and heading straight for them.  
  
Murmurs started to spread through the crowd of councillors, all of them asking the same thing: what is it?  
  
"It seems to be a creature of some sort," Kiros described, his eyes as keen as a hawk's.   
  
"But I can't be sure from this distance."  
  
"At the speed that thing seems to be going, I don't think we'll have to wait long," one of the councillors responded.  
  
They were right, with each passing second the creature was getting closer; too close.   
  
"I don't like this," Rinoa murmured nervously. "It doesn't feel right."  
  
"I agree," Mevlin concurred. "I think it might be best if we continue this meeting in Ti-" Mevlin didn't have a chance to finish her sentence, as the unidentified creature shot past them, the force of his passing almost knocking half of the councillors to the ground.  
  
A dozen screams came from the councillors, all of them identifying the creature: "A dragon!"  
  
"This was your idea, wasn't it?!" Torkan accused Laguna angrily.  
  
"Us?" Laguna denied. "This has nothing to do with us whatsoever!"  
  
"A likely story," Torkan growled. "Come on councillors, let's get out of here before we're all killed!"  
  
"No don't!" Laguna shouted to the leaving councillors. "You'll be safer in the train."  
  
Several councillors paused and led by Mevlin turned back.  
  
"What are you doing?" Torkan asked.  
  
"We're staying with President Loire," Mevlin defended. "Because we believe him."  
  
"You fools!" Torkan spat, before turning away and running for the cavalcade.  
  
Quickly running inside, Rinoa began helping the councillors climb into the train.   
  
As Zone and Watts passed inside, Mevlin, the last of the councillors into the train, asked:   
"I hope this train is as safe as you say it is."  
  
"Safer," Laguna boasted, opening his communicator again. "Driver, shields."  
  
Rinoa began to hear a humming noise reverberating gently through the floor, and looking outside she could see the azure glow of what seemed like a Protect-spell.  
  
"Is that magic?" she asked.  
  
"No," Kiros explained. "It's an energy shield of our own devising."  
  
"Amazing," Mevlin gasped. "Do we know what's going on outside?"  
  
"Of course." Laguna pressed a button on a nearby table, and a viewscreen silently rose up, coming to life and displaying the dragon, which hovered in the air.  
  
"How long has it been stationary like that?" a councillor asked.  
  
Speaking into the communicator, Laguna soon responded, "The driver says he's been like that for a few minutes, as if he's been waiting on something."  
  
Above the hum of the shields, Rinoa heard the growl of diesel engines coming to life, the cavalcade obviously on its way back to Timber, and on the screen Bahamut made his move.  
  
Rinoa knew instantly what was happening. Running through to the drivers cabin to get a better look, and soon joined by Mevlin and Laguna, all she could do now was watch as the dragon descended upon the cavalcade  
  
The limousines veered wildly in different directions, but none could get away quick enough. Flaming balls of energy flew from the dragon's massive jaw, tearing into the limousines, blowing them to smithereens, leaving nothing more than twisted shards of metal spinning through the air.  
  
"Oh, my God," Mevlin gasped, tears begin to fall down her face.  
  
Rinoa though, didn't have time to grieve, noticing that the dragon's demonic glare was now upon them.  
  
"Everybody, hold onto something!" Laguna warned, as the dragon came careering towards them.  
  
The train rocked violently, then again, then once more as it shuddered from the impact of multiple fireballs.  
  
"How's the train doing?" Laguna enquired.  
  
"Shields are holding, sir," the driver responded. "But I don't how much more of a beating she'll put up with."  
  
But they never got a chance to find out. The Dragon, seemingly disappointed at his inability to damage the train, now flew off in a different direction.  
  
"It's heading for the bridge!" Rinoa exclaimed, now watching the action on a screen set into the driver's control console.  
  
Rinoa was right. As the dragon sped off over the cliffs, it broke to suddenly to the left of the bridge, climbed steadily up, and then with a deafening roar rocketed forward, driving itself headfirst into the bridge.  
  
The devastation was unbelievable. In the distance Rinoa could just hear it, but from the screen she could see the full horror; the nearest section of bridge already disintegrated, and the next half-dozen sections after buckling and falling into the ocean.  
  
And the dragon amazingly was unhurt, emerging unscathed from the destruction it had caused in a cloud of chalk-white smoke. The dust clearing, flames could be seen foaming from its mouth, its eyes burning with an intense hatred.  
  
"I think it's remembered about us," Laguna pointed-out.  
  
But just as it seem it was about to make a second attack, it instead looked off into the distance, and its anger quickly abated, the flames that had licked its lips disappearing.   
  
The train driver instinctively pulled the camera image back, so that the dragon and what it seemed to be so scared by could both be seen. Whatever it was, it was still in the distance, but it was closing in fast.  
  
"Another dragon?" Mevlin despaired.  
  
"No," Rinoa corrected. "It's the Ragnarok!"  
  
But the dragon didn't wait for Rinoa's identification to be proved right, as it hastily flew off, disappearing from the camera's view.  
  
"Whoa!" the driver exclaimed. "That dragon just flashed right off the radar."  
  
"Guess it knows when it's time to run," Laguna grinned. "Come on Rinoa, let's go see the Ragnarok land."  
  
* * * * *  
  
"It's great to see you!" Rinoa greeted, hugging Squall for all he was worth.  
  
"Are you okay?" he asked, gently brushing her hair with his gloved hand, his face full of concern.  
  
"I'm fine," Rinoa reassured. "But others…" Her voice trailed off, caught by the sight of the burning wreckage of the cavalcade, "they're not so good."  
  
"I guess we didn't get here in time," Squall accepted grimly.  
  
"So, you're acquainted with our 'friend' then?" Laguna, who stood close behind Rinoa, asked.  
  
"You could say that. Laguna, Selphie, and I first encountered him on Osarch Island while on a mission," Squall began. "On our return to Balamb, we found him attacking the Garden, but we managed to defeat him. But from the look of things here, he didn't take long to regain his strength," Squall's eyes drifting off to the ruined bridge.  
  
"It seems you scared him off though, which means he's afraid of you," Laguna reassured. "But do you have any idea what 'he' is?"  
  
"Zell thinks that it could be the legendary dragon Bahamut," Squall mentioned.  
  
"Bahamut? I don't think I remember that legend - hey, Kiros!" Laguna shouted.  
  
"Yes?" Kiros asked, running over to join the group.  
  
"Do you know anything about a 'Bahamut'?" Laguna asked.  
  
"Of course," Kiros confirmed. "He's the mythical King of the Dragons."  
  
"King of the Dragons, eh?" Laguna wondered. "Do you think that the creature that just attacked us looked anything like it?"  
  
"Now that I think about it," Kiros considered. "That creature did resemble the descriptions in the ancient stories and drawings in many ways - the horns, the colour, the size, the ferocity."  
  
"Looks like Zell's right," Laguna added.  
  
"But Squall," Rinoa asked, who had thinking something over. "How did you know he would attack here?"  
  
"I didn't," Squall admitted. "I just had this feeling that you might be in danger."  
  
"Guess love is the strongest bond of all," Laguna chirped-in with a grin.  
  
"What will your next move be?" Kiros asked, keeping the topic on a serious level.  
  
"We'll be returning to the Garden immediately," Squall replied. "Hopefully Xu's investigation will have turned up something by now."  
  
"You're leaving so soon?" Rinoa queried with a worried look.  
  
"I thought you'd come with us," Squall replied.  
  
"I can't. Half of the provisional council has just been killed," she explained grimly. "I can't just go running off at a moments notice."  
  
"Oh yes you can," Councillor Mevlin's voice disagreed.  
  
"Councillor?" Rinoa questioned, turning round to face her.  
  
"I've been listening to your conversation," Mevlin elaborated. "And I believe that the best thing you can do right now is go with your friends."  
  
"B-but the council-"  
  
"Has been dealt a devastating blow," Mevlin finished. "I know. Thing's are going to be difficult, not to mention Horizon Bridge. But in my opinion, you helping going with your friends, to try and find out more about this new menace, is the best thing you can do for Timber at the moment."  
  
"Are you sure?"  
  
"Yes, Rinoa. Now, go on. I'm sure the help we'll receive from our Estharan friends will more than make for you absence," Mevlin reassured. "After all, until Horizon Bridge is repaired, they're marooned on the wrong side of the bridge for the time being.  
  
"We'd be glad to help," Laguna smiled.  
  
"Come on," Squall urged, taking Rinoa's hand. "The sooner we get back to the Garden the better."  
  
And waved off by the survivors of Bahamut's lethal attack, the Ragnarok, now joined by Rinoa, soared northwards back to Balamb, and hopefully to a Garden that held some answers. 


End file.
